1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a loading mechanism of a storage device, and, more particularly, to a loading mechanism for loading/unloading a cartridge into/from a predetermined position of a storage device in order to write/read information onto/from a storage medium, such as a magnetic tape, etc. contained in the cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many computer systems employ a magnetic tape device as a storage device. The magnetic tape device loads/unloads a cartridge including a magnetic tape into a loader tray of a loader section, thereby writing/reading information onto/from the magnetic tape. The loader section has a function for rewinding/unloading the magnetic tape after setting the cartridge contained in the loader tray into a predetermined position of the magnetic tape device. The magnetic tape device includes a detector, having various sensors, a magnetic head, and a driving section for moving a loader tray, etc.
The magnetic tape device serves as a library device, an autochanger device, a manual-changer device or the like, depending on its usage purpose. In accordance with the usage purpose of the magnetic tape device, the magnetic tape device is designed in accordance with whether a cartridge holder (or a projection preventing section) for stably fixing the cartridge into the magnetic tape device is attached thereto.
In the library device a carrier member (e.g. a hand, etc.) holds a specified cartridge and inserts the held cartridge into the loading mechanism, from a storage box containing a plurality of cartridges. Hence, in the case where the magnetic tape device is used as a library device, it is necessary that the loading mechanism include a cartridge holder holding a cartridge, and hence preventing the cartridge from coming out from the loading mechanism by an effect of an external factor (e.g. an earthquake).
The autochanger device includes one or two loader sections that are stably fixed therein. A magazine containing the plurality of cartridges approaches the cartridge attachment section of each loader section. Thus, in the case where the magnetic tape device is used as an autochanger devices it does not need the cartridge holder.
Accordingly, it is quite troublesome to change the design of the magnetic tape device only in accordance with whether the cartridge holder is included. In consideration of this, the cartridge holder is designed to be attachable/detachable to/from a magnetic tape device, so that the cartridge holder can be attached/detached to/from the magnetic tape device, in accordance with its usage.
Conventionally, in many magnetic tape devices, a cartridge is loaded into a cartridge holder, or a plurality of cartridges are contained in a magazine. In this structure of the magnetic tape devices, a cartridge may come out from a cartridge holder or a magazine by an effect of an external factor, such as an earthquake, the carriage, or the like. Thus, the loader section or magazine is so designed that the cartridge does not come therefrom.
For example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publications Nos. H2-177051 and H5-109166 disclose the structure of a magnetic tape device, a push rod or stopper is engaged with a cartridge, and the push rod or stopper moves in accordance with the movement of the cartridge at the time of unloading the cartridge into the magnetic tape device.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H4-186576 discloses the structure of a magnetic tape device, wherein a projection preventing section is set on the magazine, a position determining groove is arranged on the side surface of the cartridge and the cartridge is contained inside the magazine. In this structure, the top of the projection preventing section is fit into the position determining groove, so that the cartridge is prevented from coming out therefrom.
Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H6-28751 discloses the structure of a magnetic tape device. In this structure, prepared on the ceiling surface of a cartridge cell arc an upper stopper, which is, a plate-spring type stopper, and a stopper guide, which is formed in a plate-like shape and forces the upper stopper to come out from the side surface of the cartridge at the time of unloading the cartridge. When unloading the cartridge from the cartridge cell, if the cartridge holder reaches a predetermined position, the stopper guide moves toward the upper stopper in the face of the elastic force in the movement of the cartridge holder. Further, the stopper guide pushes up the upper stopper, thereby blocking the stopper function
Japanese Patent No. 2821076 discloses the structure of a cartridge library device. In this structure, the back side of a cartridge, which has improperly been loaded into a magazine, has an extending section which extends more than the back side of a cartridge which has properly been loaded into the magazine. According to this structure, an operator of the cartridge library device can easily be aware of the improper loading of the cartridge. If the cartridge is improperly loaded into the magazine, there will be made a space behind the cartridge because of the extending section of the cartridge. The arm arranged behind the cartridge rotate at an angle of 90°, and its rotating shaft gets down together with the movement of this arm. If the rotating shaft interrupts a transmitted light of an optical sensor, a detection signal is generated. Upon generation of this detection signal, a warning is given to the operator, so as to let the operator know about the improper loading of the cartridge.
However, the above-described structures are efficient for some usage, but not for various usage purposes. For example, in the case where the magnetic tape device is used as a library device and an autochange device, the projection preventing section can not be blocked, so that the magnetic tape device can not be used for various usage purposes.
Even through the conventional loading mechanism or magazine is so designed that the magnetic tape device can be used for various usage purposes, the loader section is necessary in the case of the library device, while no loader section is necessary in the case of the autochanger device. In accordance with the usage purpose of the magnetic tape device, it is necessary to attach/detach the loader section to/from the magnetic tape device. The attachment/detachment of the loader section needs to be achieved manually by someone. Further, the loader section needs to be managed. Additionally, because the conventional magnetic tape device can not satisfactorily cause the easy designing of the storage device and the general use thereof, the personnel expenses, the management cost, and the device cost ran up to a large sum.